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R nr. E N I L L A u d 0 M 0 m ELEGTRIG RAILWAY.

Patented June 18, 1889.

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No. 405,365. Patented June 18, 1889.

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No. 405,365. Patented June 18, 1889.

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A. L. LINEIF. ELEGTRIO RAILWAY. No. 405,365. Patented June 18, 1889.

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A. L. LINEFP. I ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 405,365. Patented June 18, 1889'.

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PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER L. LINEFF, OF \VESTMINSTER, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWARD HODSON BA'YLEY, OF ELTIIAM, ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,365, dated June 18, 188 9.

Application filed July 10, 1888. Seiial No. 279,593. (No model.) Patented in England October 4, 1887, No. 13,447; in France April 4, 1888, No. 189,767, and in Belgium April 4, 1888, No. 81,302.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER LOGIN LINEFF, of .2 Buckingham Street, in the city of Westminster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Tramways and Railways, of which the following is a specification.

I have obtained Letters Patent hereon in Great Britain, No. 13,447, dated October 4, 1887; in France, No. 189,767, dated April 4, 1888, and in Belgium, No. 81,302, dated April 4, 1888.

The object of this invention is to improve the working of electric tramways and railways, the principal points that I have in view being to minimize the leakage of the electric current in the process of distribution, to. cheapen the cost of construction and maintenance, to provide novel means for collect ing and conveying the current from the conductor to the motor, and to provide for cutting out of the circuit any part of the con.- ductor for the purpose of repairs without interrupting the action of the circuit.

"parallel are; but it may also be employed when the converting apparatus is arranged partly in series and partly in parallel are.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1., Sheet I, is a longitudinal section of the permanent way of a tramway in which a channel under one of the rails is used for the conductor, and showing the application of this invention. The figure also shows so much of a tram-car as will be necessary to show the connection between the car and the electrical conductor, and also a trailing collector; and Fig. 1 is a detail View, hereinafter described. Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the same with the floor or platform of the car removed. Fig. 1? represents details which will be more fully described hereinafter. Fig. 3, Sheet II, is a crosssection, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 00 as, Fig. 1, showing the conductorchannel and the manner of connecting the collector with the car. Fig. at is a plan view of that part of the apparatus which is shown at Fig. 3 as being above the ground. Fig. 5, Sheet III, is a side elevation, and Fig. 6 an end View of arailway carriage and track with the invention adapted thereto. The remaining figures 7, 8, and 9, in this sheet show details of construction which will be more particularly referred to hereinafter. In Sheet II I have illustrated, in diagram, the mode of testing and repairing the line, which will be referred to again hereinafter. Fig. 10, Sheet IV, is a sectional elevation of a plug-switch. Fig. 11 is a plan view, and Fig. 12 is a crosssection on the line so at, Fig. 10. Fig. 13 is a transverse section, on an enlarged scale, showing a modification of certain parts. Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view showing certain means for arranging converting apparatus, partly in series and partly in parallel arc. Fig. 15 is a detail sectional view showing a modified con struction of certain brackets.

In carrying out this invention the conductor is formed in sections consisting of lengths of iron bar or tube covered with a suitable insulating material, the said sections of bar or tube being set a short distance apart, with the adjacent ends connected together by insulated flexible connections. This mode of constructing the conductor provides for the contraction and expansion of the metal under the influence of variations in the temperature. Connected with each flexible portion is a branch wire from a plug-switch arranged at a short distance from the main conductor, and these plugswitches are electrically connected together by a wire which I term a control-wire, which serves for testing the conductor for conductivity and insulation, and also serves to convey the current while any part of the main conductor is under re pairs. The main conductor is supported by brackets or posts, according to the position in which it is placed, and, being surroundedby air, which forms the best insulator, as well as completely insulated from its supports, the risk of leakage is reduced to a minimum.

When it is desired to carry a considerable quantity of current, which would necessitate a conductor of large section,'I use with a comparatively small main a relief-conductor of higher conductivity, which may be placed inside the main conductor, if hollow, as shown in Fig. 13, or outside, if the main conductor be solid, but in either case in electrical contact with the main conductor. At certain distances apart the main conductor is pro- Vided with metallic projections or rubbers in electrical connection therewith.- These rubbers will be shaped to accord with the' section of the collector to be used, and with the exception of the contact or rubbing face may be also covered with an insulating material.

When a channel below the surface of the ground is used for the conductor, the conductor will be placed at one side of a vertical line drawn through the center of the channeloslot, so that dirt falling through the slot will not accumulate on the rubbers. In some cases the rubbers may be fixed to and form part of the supporting-brackets, the conductor being clamped thereto in any convenient manner. This arrangement is more particularly useful for elevated railways or in tunnels.

Referring now to Sheets I and II of the drawings, A A are the rails of the tramway.

B B represent the car-wheels, B B the wheel-axles, and B the frame or body of the car, which is removed in Fig. 2.

O is the slot-beam, which, with the rail A, forms the top of the channel C, in which the conductor is placed, the said rail and beam being bolted or otherwise secured to chairs C If the channel be placed in the center of the track, there will be two slot-beams O in lieu of one beam and one rail. The channel 0 will be preferably built up, say, in concrete, and the chairs C to support the rail and slot-beam G, and to which brackets C to carry the O0I1dl10tO1',l-1O bolted or otherwise secured, are built into the walls of the channel. These brackets may also be fitted into two boxes or pockets formed in the chair or let into the wall of the channel, and containing some insulating material, as shown at Fig. 15.

D is the insulated conductor, carrying the rubbers D, and D is the relief-conductor,in electrical connection with the conductor D by branch wires D and which may be carried as shown in Fig. 3, or the wire D may be placed inside the main conductor D. The conductor D is supported in the brackets G which are insulated from the chairs C and the contact or rubbing pieces D are firmly secured to the conductor D, and extend upward some distance above the same. These pieces D are of any suitable section, and are intended to receive a trailing collector E, carried by the car, and which takes up the current from the conductor.

It will be seen from the drawings that the conductor D, with its rubbing-pieces D, is

placed at one side of the channel, and at some distance from the bottom, 'so that any water or mud which may enter between the slot-beams will fall to the bottom of the channel, clear of the rubbing-pieces, the contactsurfaces of which will thus always remain clean. Thisposition will also facilitate the cleaning out the bottom of the channel, and it is also convenient in case of repairs to the conductor and its accessories, and it will be necessary to remove only the slot-beam G to obtain access to the conductor.

The trailing collector-E is of a length nearly equal to the distance between three rubbers D, and its own weight is sufficient to insure good electrical contact with the rubbers over which it slides as the car progresses.

The trailing collector E is formed of a length of wire rope, so that it may easily follow any curves in the road, and upon this rope are strung short lengths of hard-metal tubing to form the rubbing-surface of the collector. This collector is connected with the car in the following manner:

F is a frame which is carried by the axleboxes of the car, and consists of side pieces F and cross-pieces F. Sliding upon or between the two cross-pieces F is a kind of carriage F to the under side of which is pivoted or rigidly secured a beam G. To the opposite ends of this beam G the trailing collector E is attached by means of swinging or jointed connections. A mode of pivoting the beam G to the carriage is shown in sectional elevation and plan view in Fig. 1*, Sheet I. The object of the sliding carriage and pivoting the beam thereto is to allow the beam to shift laterally and to swing on its center as the car is going round a sharp curve, so that there may be no strain on the connections between the beam and the trailing collector E. On the opposite ends of the beam G is secured, by screws or otherwise, a sleeve socket or clamp G, (see Fig. 4, Sheet 11,) having at the center of its length and on one side a lug or projection, which is bored longitudinally to receive a pin or bolt G Pivoted to this sleeve socket or clamp, by the bolt G which passes through pierced lugs 011 the side thereof, is a second socket or clamp G in which is secured the insulated arm or bar G, to the end of which the collectorE is attached. The clamp G is formed with an extension at its lower end, which projects into the slot 0, and this extension is so formed as to clear away dirt or other obstruction which may have collected in the slot. The lower ends of the bars G are rigidly attached to sockets G in which the trailing collector is secured in any convenient manner. The pivoting of the collector-clamp G to the beam G permits of the clamp rocking on its pivot as the car is going around a curve. Thus all fear of the arm or bar G binding or rubbing in the sides of the slot 0 will be avoided.

In applying this invention to a railway worked by electricity the main conductor,

. ing collector E slides.

provided with the rubbers, as before eX-' it may be carried by. the ordinary telegraphposts. In the latter case the conductor D will be connected by short branch wires a with the rubbers D, fitted onto low posts.

placed by the side of the line. These rubbers, one of which is shown in side elevation and cross-section on an enlcrged' scale at Fig. 9,

consist of a metal cap or thimble formed outside with a deep .\/-groove in which the trail- This cap, which is lined withinsulating material, n gty be set on and fixed to a wooden post D*', which is firmly secured to a sleeper of the permanent way outside the rails or in any other convenient position. This simple form of rubber is, however, only suitable for currents of low potential. For high potential I prefer to fix the rubber D on an earthenware insulator D* of a section similar to that shown at Fig. 9, and which is secured in any convenient manner to the post D*.

The trailing collector E, constructed as above described, will extend from end to end of the train, each carriage being provided with its proper length, which will be coupled in any convenient manner to the collectors of the adjacent carriages when the train is made up.

The collector of each carriage will, when not in use, be secured at either end by a clip or clamp J, Fig. 7, attached to the under side of the foot-board, and it will be supported at various points in its length by sprin '-supports J Fig. 8, also secured to the foot-board. The clip or clamp .T is shown in cross-section and side elevation at Fig. 7, and it consists of a fixed jaw J and a movablejaw J ,which is provided with a hooked portion at its upper end, which takes into a hole in the fixed jaw, the two jaws being brought and held together by a bolt and nut, as shown.

The spring-support J* is shown at Fig. 8, and it consists of a helical spring J secured by one end to a plate J by which it is attached to the footboard, and at the other end to. a metal strap J in which the collectorE is placed. The thickness of this strap J will be the same as that of the lengths of tube forming the rubbing-surface of the collector, so that an even surface will be presented to the rubber. These spring-supports will allow the collector to hang at such a level that there will be effective contact with the rubbers, and they will yield as the strap passes over the rubbers.

In some cases the conductor may be placed level with the top of the carriages, the trailin g collector being suitably carried from overhanging brackets secured to the roof of the carriage, as seen at the upper part of Figs. 5 and 6. In these figures the spring-supports J are shown as being attached to a rail carried by the overhanging brackets before mentioned. This arrangement is more particularly suitable for use in tunnels, or for the purpose of conveying a current suitable for lighting the carriages.

\Vhen the current used is of comparatively low tension, I may combine the rubbers and brackets in one piece, insulating the latter from the wall or support by embedding the foot thereof in some insulating materialsuch as asphalt contained in a box or pocket inserted in the wall, as before mentioned, and as shown in Fig. 6. A flexible conductor may alsobe used, and it will be held in the notch prepared for it in the under side of the bracket by a set-scrcw. (See Fig. 7, Sheet III.)

To increase the surface-resistance to leakage, a funnel-shaped piece T, of some insulating material, may be placed round the bracket and inserted into the bitumen or other insulating material T contained in the box or pocket T and a lip or gutter will thus be provided over the bracket to catch drip pings from the wall and convey them away clear of the bracket. (See 'Fig. 15.)

The arrangements above described give great facilities for crossing-points, shunts, &c., where great complications arise with continuous bar-conductors.

For the purposes of repairing, testing, and generally for maintaining uninterrupted traffic, I provide.,,the control-wire, before. mentioned, which runs in sections corresponding to the main conductor, and parallel thereto, along the whole line, the ends terminating in the above-mentioned switches. By means of these switches any section may be cut out of the circuit, the current meanwhile passing through the control-wire or through a temporary conductor.

It is of great importance in working elec trical circuits of any magnitude to be able from time to time to test the conductor, both for conductivity and resistance of its insulation, and thus ascertain the actual loss of en ergy in the system.

In the diagrams, Sheet II, I show the working of my system for he various purposes in view.

A A, Diagram I, represents the sections or lengths of the main conductor joined together by flexible insulated conductors A, and from the wires A, I run insulated branches (L a a, terminating in plug-switches b Z) Z), which will be described hereinafter, placed along the line opposite the breaks in the conductor, and so as to be easy of access when so required. The relief-conductor referred to in an earlier part of this specification is not shown in the diagrams, though for all practical purposes it may be considered the main conductor. The

switches are connected by the sections at (Z d of the control-wire.

\Vhen the rails or slot-beams, or both, are used for the return-current, I may provide against any difficulty arising from bad joints by arranging the joints of the two rails shown upon the outside of the diagram and of the slotbeams between the rails on the hit-and-miss system, as shown in Diagram II, the rods Z ll being utilized to bridge over the electrical discontinuity caused by bad joints between the rails or slot-beams.

The plug-switch referred to with reference to Diagrams I and II is shown at Sheet IV in sectional elevation at Fig. 10, in plan View at Fig. 11, and in sectional plan on the line 00 03 of Fig. 10 at Fig. 12; and it consists of a cylindrical cast-iron box L, with two covers L L the inner one L being provided with an india-rubber ring or washer and screwed firmly down, so as to make the cylinder dampproof and airtight. The bottom of the box is formed with a pocket L through the side of which pass the three insulated wires M M M In the center of the box I fix a block N, of suitable insulating material, and in this block three vertical holes N N N set in the form of an equilateral triangle, are made, corresponding holes being formed horizontally, so as to meet the Vertical holes. At the bottom of the holes N N N are placed L-shaped tions being formed of split tubes, in which the insulated wires are placed and soldered.

When the plugs an d wires are fixed, the wholebottom of the box is filled with melted pitch, bitumen, or similar substance, which makes the whole impervious to wet or damp. The switch itself is formed of a bell-shaped piece or cap P, of earthenware or other suitable material, into which a metallic disk P is fixed. Into this disk are secured two bellmouthed tubes of copper or brass P to receive the plugs O O. A third tube is made of insulating material to receive a plug, and plays the part of a dummy. In each position of the bell two plugs are electrically connected, and it is clear that any two plugs, and therefore conductors attached to them, may be put in circuit. The space between the tubes is also filled with some insulatingcement P A central pin may also be employed as a guide-pin.

In the diagram, Fig. 14, I have shown that the converting apparatus may be arranged partly in series and partly in parallel are. S designates two motors, which may be arranged upon a car. It will be seen that the motors are in series, while the car itself is in parallel connection with the main.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electrical tramway or railway, the combination of a trailing collector of electricity, as E, suitably connected to the car or carriage, with an electrical conductor .made up of insulated metallic sections electrically and flexibly connected and provided at convenient distances apart with rubbing-pieces having a cross-section corresponding to the section of the collector, and against the whole rubbing-surface of which the collector rubs as it is dragged along, substantially as described.

2. An electrical conductor for electric tramways or railways, consisting of a main portion composed of insulated. metallic sections flexibly connected and provided with rubbing-pieceg a relief conductor in electrical connection with main portion, and a controlwire consisting of sections of wire terminating in plug-switches in electrical connection with the flexible connections of the main portion, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, in an electrical conductor for electric tramways or railways, of sections or lengths of iron set a short distance apart, flexible connections between the adjacent ends of said sections, and rubbing pieces or surfaces attached to said sections, the whole being insulated from earth, substantially as described.

4:. In an electric tramway or railway, the combination, with a continuous electrical conductor, of insulated brackets for carrying the said conductor, said brackets being provided with rubbing-pieces to receive the trailing collector carried by the car or train, substantially as specified.

5. A trailing collector for electric tramways or railways, consisting of a length or continuous lengths of wire rope upon which is or are strung short pieces of hard-metal tube to form the rubbing-surface of the collector, substantially as described.

6. In electrical tramways or railways, the combination, with a car, of a trailing collector, a beam secured toa laterally-traveling carriage carried by the car-frame, and swinging attachments for connecting the collector to the beam, substantially as described.

7. In electrical tramways or railways, the combination, with a car, of a trailing collector, spring-supports for the collector, and gripping-clips for securing the free ends of the collector, substantially as described.

London, England, June 25, 1888.

ALEX. L. LINEFF.

Witnesses:

G. H. G. ll/IATHIESON, H. K. WHITE. 

